Jupiter: 4 Moons Away
by PandaFlute
Summary: Story commissions dedicated to keronaxd of deviantART. Multiple Bomberman fanfics in this collection. Posted with her permission. Characters, genres, etc. will continuously be updated setting on current story. *Current chapter: Chp. 7- Spring Tea Festival #1
1. Disclaimers

**Disclaimers**

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**Music:**Aerith's Theme (Final Fantasy VII)  
Embodiement of Scarlet Devil- Stage One (ZUN/Touhou)  
Blue Resort (Bomberman 64)

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**Company**: Hudson Soft  
**Characters are used from**: Bomberman Jetters and The Second Attack!  
***OC**- Jupiter belongs to keronaxd on deviantART.

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**Who's Jupiter?**

_**An OC created by keronaxd. Visit her page! **__Jupiter is a boy born under Artemis and Orion's wings on a dark and stormy night. He was born prematurely without the potential to survive. Until the moon and the stars gave him the energy to sustain his life.  
14 years later, he's on the run from the Shittenou (who are avenging their fallen leader) and has to make things right._

_Powers: Star Beam, Star Attack_

_Special abilities: Turns into a nightmarish monster whenever angered._

_Parents: Orion and Artemis (Both characters are from Bomberman 64)_

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That will be all I have to say for now. The rest you will find out for yourself. Enjoy! :)


	2. In The Past: Ages 10 and 12

**A keronaxd Story Commission**

**Jupiter: 4 Moons Away**

**PART 1- The Past**

***In The Past...  
Age: 10***

"Hey, you two! Tide's coming in! It's time to go home!" Artemis called, once she noticed that it was sunset.

Little Jupiter poked his head out of the sand castle that he and his father, Orion built. To a little boy of his age, it was the greatest accomplishment that he could ever achieve with his father beside him.

"But Mom, there is no tide!" little Jupiter responded.

Orion looked back and read through his wife's worried frown. "Do as your mother says, Jupiter," he said to his son. Jupiter's turquoise eyes flickered to a disappointed shade of aquamarine. "Alright..."

As Jupiter, Orion, and Artemis headed to the entrance, Jupiter instantly notified them of his missing dragon plushie in the sand castle and scurried back to retrieve it.

Once Jupiter dove inside the castle, he grabbed a hold of the plush and crawled his way out. Standing up, he shook the dust out of his wings.

"WATCH OUT!"

_Smack!_ Another kid around Jupiter's age crashed into him, making a rolling ball of confused boys. Once they hit the finished sandcastle, they untangled themselves, staring at the heap of sand.

Jupiter glared at the newcomer. He mostly had white appendages, with pink circles for his hands, feet, and head. "You ruined my sandcastle!" he yelled, stomping his foot.

The newcomer scratched his head in embarrassment. "Oh? That yours? Sorry 'bout that!" he apologized. He immediately kneltbefore the sand pile and started to work on it.

"What are you doing?" Jupiter asked curiously. The newcomer looked up at him with a confident face. "Fixing it!" he replied. In a few seconds flat, the boy's energy paid off for his hard work. He stepped back, allowing Jupiter to look at it. "Did it look like this?"

"...Yeah..." Jupiter said in amazement. He was saying the truth, the sand castle was an exact replica. Windows and everything. "Thanks."

"No problem! Call me Shirobon! Or Shiro for short," the bomber-kid replied, extending a hand to Jupiter. Jupiter carefully extended it to the eccentric counterpart. "Ha ha! I don't bite!" Shirobon laughed, taking and rapidly shaking it.

Jupiter heard Artemis call out to him once more, interrupting the brotherly moment. "I have to get back to my parents," he said.

Shirobon nodded. "No problem! It's easy to find me! I live in Bomber Town, right next to Blue Resort!"

Jupiter smiled, "That's close to where I live."

Shiro returned Jupiter's smile with a grin, "I guess we'll be seeing each other for a while, ha ha! Farewell, bomber pal!" The two waved, then departed.

Jupiter ran and flew with all his might on his wings, emitting his happy aura.

He reached his parents, who were talking to one another in low tones. Their faces seemed worried and upset, so he thought it wasn't the best time to show up. He sneaked behind a brush next to the sidewalk, eavesdropping.

"Is this right to hide it from him? It would get harder for him once he gets older."

"Artemis. He's ten years old. Kids his age can't understand things like this. We'll have to wait until he grows into an older age."

"But Altair..."

"Forget Altair. It's just us. You, me, and the boy. Once we have fully settled in Blue Resort, we'll explain everything to him. Nothing will come between us."

"...Orion. I have always known you for being stubborn. Yet good things come out of it. Why should I believe you?"

"Because Artemis..." Orion smiled, pulling her closer to him. He whispered something inconceivable, and then ended it with a kiss.

By then, Jupiter was beginning to wonder why Altair had always held a certain interest in him. That's way he always held him above the other boys in their neighborhood in Black Fortress.

**_Chatting with friends in Black Fortress..._**

"You're becoming a Wanderer," Ashtarth sighed. He rested his head on one hand as he envied Jupiter. "It looks like I'm never going to get out of here."

Baelfael patted his buddy on the back. "Don't worry! As long as we have Behemos, nothing is goin' to stop us!"

"But he's not adopting us," Ashtarth pointed out. "He only visits us once a week. Chances are in a million to one that he takes us in."

"Hmph! If you ask me," Regulus interrupted. "I say this Altair gives jobs instead of letting sit and get lazy."

Zoniha counterattacked, "Now wait a minute, Reg. You say you aren't happy with uncle Sirius' house?"

"It's not that. It's just that I don't like sleeping all the time."

"Ja ja! Sleeping? Is that what you call freedom from Altair?"

"I want to stay here and train under him. I want to become the strongest warrior in the universe! I want to become an independent fighter."

"Once you become a Wanderer, will you ever see us again?" Zoniha asked.

Baelfael grabbed Jupiter's wrist, which was starting to become warm from his touch. "Don't leave us hangin'!"

Ashtarth and Regulus only nodded when he looked to them.

"Of course I will. You guys are my friends!" Jupiter smiled. His aura reached to the others, radiating happiness.

Zoniha started giggling. Baelfael whispered to Ashtarth. "Here it comes."

Then she popped the question. "Who's your friend that you met at the beach? Is he cute, ja?"

Baelfael, Ashtarth, and Jupiter snuck a look to Regulus. The boy was trying his best to keep his temper in check, but his agitation was growing visible by the sweat dripping from his visor. He started shaking his balled up fists.

Jupiter closed with, "Uh... you'll have to see for yourself."

Zoniha made a whiny sound to Regulus' relief. "Aw! But I want to know!"

***Two Years Later...  
Age: 12***

"Leave him alone! Oof!"

Jupiter was pushed into the wall as Shirobon was pinned down by their attackers. "I swear, I don't have the money! I'll give it to you tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow is not my kind of time. Now is a very important time for me," Thunder Bomber snarled, into Shirobon's ear. Behind him, Mermaid Bomber sat on a dumpster loudly popping her bubblegum, paying close attention to Flame Bomber's attempts to win her heart. Meanwhile, Grand Bomber was keeping a strong hold on Jupiter as he was pinning him to the brick wall.

"O-o-okay..." Shirobon said, surrendering to Thunder. Thunder's eyes gleamed with impatience.

"Much better." He lifted his foot off of him, allowing Shiro to take some breaths of air. He held out his hand, waiting for the money to be placed in it. Shirobon looked back at Jupiter, who gave a quick nod.

Shirobon weakly stood up. He pulled out a small smoke bomb in front of Thunder's face.

Mermaid Bomber squeaked, crawling inside the dumpster. "Bomber Shoot!" he yelled, throwing it in the desired spot. Thunder smacked away the bomb, its smoke enveloping Flame and Mermaid. He kicked Shiro down to the ground again, this time sitting on him. "Nice try," he snarled.

"_Leave. Him. ALONE!_"Jupiter roared, opening his wings. Grand Bomber curiously tilted his head to the side, wondering what the heck he's turning into. "Keep him still!" Thunder yelled, "I want to see this pixie suffer, too!"

Jupiter ignored him, suddenly absorbing the energy in his golden wings. His body was shaking from this sudden feeling as his mind was trying to process what was going on.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, then looked up at the changing sky. The sky began to lose its light as gray clouds were covering the sun. "What's going?" Mermaid panicked. Flame Bomber took his little opportunity to save the damsel in distress by grabbing her and jumping into the dumpster.

"Uh, Jupiter? Are you okay?" Shirobon nervously asked. Thunder Bomber still kept his ground.

Jupiter didn't say anything, which made the Bomberman even more panicked than usual. Grand Bomber's hand began to wiggle, allowing Jupiter to fall onto the ground. The kid shakily stood up, looking at his hands which were glowing with the aura.

"What should we do, Thunder Bomber?" Grand Bomber asked worriedly.

Thunder gestured his hands and said phlegmatically, "Simple. We try not to get ourselves killed."

Grand Bomber dropped Jupiter and wobbled his huge self outta there.

Jupiter turned to Thunder Bomber who laughed. "And what is that going to do? Scare me?" he taunted.

Jupiter's blue eyes turned to a deep crimson red. Thunder grabbed Shirobon and threw him to Jupiter's side. "Here, have some lunch! I think it'll satisfy you for a week!" he laughed.

"No no no! I-I'm not that tasty! I'm delicate. I'm just lean meat! Don't eat me, please!" Shirobon stuttered.

Jupiter continued to stare at Shirobon, emitting a dark aura. His blue body turned to black, and his claws and wings also turned to red. He turned back to Thunder Bomber, who was in a frozen state.

Thunder's pupils dilated. He banged on the dumpster, "Let me in! Let me in!" He flipped open the lid.

Flame Bomber shrieked, embarrassed. "Sorry! We are not home! Please leave a message at the sound of the tone! AH!"

He yelled, pointing behind Thunder Bomber. Thunder looked behind him to see Jupiter hovering above him with his crimson wings. Their eyes locked, sending chills up his spine. Thunder was speechless as he saw his reflection in the nightmarish eyes. "Oh my-"

"What's going on?" Mermaid asked, to which Flame responded. "Eh, nothing good." He slammed down the dumpster lid, shutting the vision away from them. He warned her to cover her ears. Mermaid nodded and immediately did so. As Flame covered

his ears, the last thing he heard was Thunder Bomber's screams and the sound of hot, red, sticky liquid splash on the dumpster.

The vibrations of the slaughter made the two huddle close together in fear, wrapping their arms around each other. "I'm gonna miss him," Mermaid whimpered. Flame only pulled her closer to him for comfort in silence.

_Creeeakkk..._

Mermaid stifled a scream as they saw a red claw pierce the lid with a screeching sound. The two dodged it, crawling to the right side of the dumpster.

Then they felt themselves being hoisted up. "Holy crap!" Flame yelled, struggling to keep himself balanced.

"FLAME!" the sea bomber yelled as they were being tossed upside down. They would've fallen out and into the raging claws, if it wasn't thanks to their quick reflexes. They grabbed the lids, hanging on for dear life.

Shirobon was watching the whole scene unfold before his terrified eyes. Shakily, he stood up, shifting closer to Jupiter. "J-Jupiter?" he squeaked.

The monstrous Jupiter turned around, burning Shiro with his glare. Yet, the small-sized form that he was, he was scary.

Flame and Mermaid Bomber shared a worried glance with one another.

"Remember me? The kid you met on the beach?" Shirobon asked, trying to conjure up the memory. Jupiter blinked for a second, remembering that day, also. The sky began to lighten up, much to everyone's relief.  
"A-and, remember that awesome sand castle you built with your dad? And I fixed it? Remember your first day here at Blue Resort? Do you remember anything?"

To his surprise, the small figure put down the dumpster. The black and red was changing back to the pure blue and yellow. Jupiter blinked his eyes multiple times, thinking back to the few minutes before his rage. "What happened to me?" he asked.

"You became a monster. That's what happened," Flame Bomber pointed out. He and Mermaid kept themselves at a safe distance from him.

Jupiter shook his head in disbelief. "A monster?"

Mermaid quickly shook her head, agreeing with him. "That's right. You were totally a monster."

Flame narrowed his eyes and added, "And you killed _him._" He pointed to Thunder Bomber's bloody corpse near the wall. Jupiter flinched in shock. "No. There must be some mistake," he gasped.

"Wasn't a mistake. You _killed_ one of our own," Flame continued, holding back tears. "He was one of _our own_. You didn't have to go this far! He was like a brother to me!" At this point, he broke down, kneeling beside the body. Tears freely poured from his eyes as Mermaid joined him by his side. Flame closed Thunder's eyes in silence, gasping with little breathes as he registered this painful feeling. "_You killed him..._" he said, his voice getting lower. His sad face turned to a vengeful look.

"I didn't know!" Jupiter tried to explain. Flame softly laid the body to rest and stood up. "You'll pay for this!" he yelled, pumping up a bomb.

"Bomber Shoot!" Luckily, Shirobon was just in time to throw a bomb at Flame before he could make a move.

He grabbed the confused Jupiter's hand, and dragged him out of there.

Mermaid and Flame was thrown back against the wall from the impact. The enraged bomber yelled, "You jerk! I'll see you in heck for this!"

**_That night... (Entropy Theme by Lucca)_**

Jupiter finally reached his home with Shirobon tagging along behind him. "I don't know what happened," he said.

Shiro shook his head, "Neither do I. All I know is that you'll be in serious trouble for this."

Wincing at the thought, Jupiter turned softly on his heels, heading toward the door. "Well, good night."

Shirobon just nodded, then ran toward his own lodging.

Inside, Jupiter slowly opened the door to see his parents huddled together near the fire. They turned their heads to see him. Artemis smiled. "How's my little star doing?" she asked.

Jupiter stood there, paralyzed and unsure of what to do. Like a zombie, he trudged his feet and laid his head in her lap. She massaged him. "Look at you, you must've had a rough day today."

Orion tapped Jupiter's hand. "We were getting worried about you when the sky suddenly turned dark. Did it rain over where you are?"

Jupiter felt his father's hand, closing near his hands and spotted the sticky dried blood on it. "No," he lied.

Artemis tilted her head to the side. "That's a strange occurrence." She looked down at his dangling hands and picked them up, noticing the blood. "What's this?" she asked.

"..." Jupiter was too sleepy to answer. His eyes started to shut as he thought more and more of what would happen. He couldn't think anymore as he began to doze off.

When they finished with their chat at the fireplace, the parents allowed him to trudge off to bed. He made his way slowly up the stairs to his bedroom. But they noticed some more of the substance on his wings. "Jupiter? Are you all right?" his mother asked.

"Mama..." Jupiter lost consciousness and fainted.

"_Jupiter!_"

Orion ran up to him and caught him in his arms. "I knew this day would come," he muttered. They quickly carried him back to the couch.

Artemis stared at him in disbelief. "We should've told him from the start."

"Well now is the perfect time."

Orion and Artemis went to tend to his battle marks as he went off into a dazed sleep.

_Knock, knock. _"Who goes there!?" Orion shouted, ready to kill whoever laid a hand on his son. He roughly opened the door to find Shirobon sitting on the steps. He exhaled a huge sigh of relief. "What, Shirobon?"

"I was hoping... that Jupiter's okay..." Shirobon lightly said after seeing Orion's worried frown.

Orion looked back to Artemis, who quickly glanced at the newcomer. She nodded her head as she laid a cold washcloth on Jupiter's forehead. Orion stepped aside, beckoning Shiro in. He closed the door after him with a tight lock.

"Now Shirobon, listen to me. Have you seen anything unusual happen today?"

"Y-yes..."

"Tell us what happened. And don't be afraid to speak."

From there on, Shirobon gave a quick summary of Jupiter's transformation, the death of Thunder Bomber, and the change in the atmosphere. At the end of the story, Jupiter as able to open his eyes, searching everyone in the room. "Shiro? What are you-"

"Jupiter," Orion began. "We have something to tell you. And Shiro, you might want to stick around and keep him company."

"Oh, alright... as long as he doesn't kill anyone else."

"What's going on?"

Artemis began to explain his past. "It was a very dark night when you were born. You were conceived before your time. Thus, you turned out to be... born prematurely. The doctors thought that you and I wouldn't make it."

Orion added, "If you weren't able to be nourished properly, she would have died just for you. The conception drained so much from her and she was beginning to die from the huge loss of blood. But she cared so much about you, she was willing to risk her own life for you.""Your father and I were very worried about you. When we were being transported home that night, you weren't very active at all like other babies would be. Instead, you were soaking up all the light, everywhere we went. Even the car's lights went off and we couldn't tell if we were low on gas." She giggled, putting a hand to her cheek. "Your father swore that he would burn it up just to see the dials."

"We didn't know how you did it. It was magic. Then after pulling off to the side of the road, Altair was nice enough to give us a ride. But we didn't know who he was and where we were being taken. We told him where our home was, but I guess he had other plans. We lodged in his mansion for the night. The next day, we were forced to work as slaves and leave you behind in the orphanage."

Furiously, Orion balled up a furious fist. "That man was corrupt. We couldn't even see you for 30 minutes straight. If it wasn't for good ol' Behemos, we would have never been a part of your life. We would just be strangers. That's when you met your friends."

"We watched you grow up through windows. We wouldn't dare to sneak in, because of the security we had. But we were able to secretly check in on you three nights a week. Behemos was kind enough to teach you how to use and control your powers."

Orion began to lighten up at this part. "Once we have completed our task of working for 2 years at Black Fortress, we were given the choice to leave or stay. Of course, we wanted to leave on short notice. But Altair had something different in mind. He wanted to keep you as his specimen. He knew about the way you would soak up the sun and tried everything he could to keep you. But he was no match for Sirius."

"He let us go. We set off toward Blue Resort, my home and birthplace before I met Orion. Once we were finally able to settle, we began to spend time with you like no parent ever would. Yes, we have accomplished all the firsts of parenting and childhood. You were proud to show us what Behemos taught you. But you always remained weak. We thought it was the food we were giving you, but that wasn't the case. It was your birth that took its toll on you. You weren't able to carry a stack of books without putting them away one at a time."

Orion looked at Jupiter with worry. "I thought you would remain weak your whole life. We prayed and prayed to God each night. To lay His hand on you and give you strength. Luckily, you were smart enough, replacing your low strength. One thing that we couldn't control was your temper. You were hot-headed and stubborn. During your fits, you would soak up all the energy in the room, making it dark for as long as you were mad."

Shirobon's head tilted to the side. "So that's why the lights were always off when I came to visit." He yawned, stretching his arms. "This may be important, but I'm getting sleepy. Not to mention that I haven't eaten lunch."

This interruption caused the parents to remember that he was there. "I think you heard enough now, Shirobon. You may leave."

"Thank you, Mr. Orion. Buena noche, Jupiter!" Shiro said, exiting the house.

Jupiter nodded, impatient to know everything.

"One night, our prayers were answered. The moon and the stars gave you the power to live. You then grew wings and could cast Star Attacks. You became much different from bomberkind. But inside, you're still my little star," Artemis finished, kissing Jupiter softly on the cheek.

"So what you need to learn is to control your temper, young man," Orion said.

"But what about the Bomber Shittenou? They will still be around," Jupiter said, causing worry lines to crease on their heads.  
"Don't worry about them, Shirobon has told us everything. I'm sure things will work out," Artemis reassured him. "Now go to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day!"  
"Good night, Mama. Night, Papa," the exhausted Jupiter said.  
Orion and Artemis sighed, rejoining each other on the couch once he left.

"Our boy is growing up," Orion said. Artemis only nodded.

**[END OF PART 1]**


	3. Planning

**PART 2- Planning**

**Friends Again**  
Shirobon panted as the summer heat took its toll on him. "Need to get that AC fixed," he muttered.

Now 15 years old, Shirobon returned to Bomber Planet and landed a job at the local Ramen Shop as a soup cook. There, he had learned that mastering the art of soup making took time, unlike those popular cook-and-go on television. The Ramen Shop was a small and quiet place for those who wanted to sit back, reflecting on past memories or have small conversations. It was attired with fans, a TV, one heater, and an AC that usually broke down in dire times. He wiped his head with his right hand while stirring the soup with the left.

"Shirobon! Money doesn't make itself, you know!" an impatient voice loudly hissed. Shiro only grunted in reply as he took the soup to its desired customer. As he got closer to his customer, he noticed his strange appearance. The stranger wore a leather duster that obscured most of his appearance.

"Sir? Your daikon and chicken soup is ready." The stranger only nodded, reaching out with a hand to clutch his spoon. He brought the spoon to his hooded face and blew the contents cool. "Smells good," he rasped.

Shirobon smiled. "I made it myself. That will be 3.50 then." As the stranger slid his payments across the table, Shirobon noticed that he shop's lights were flickering. "What? They were just fixed yesterday," he wondered aloud.

The stranger cleared his throat. "I better be going. I'll bring the bowl back."

"Sir?" When Shirobon glanced down, both the man and the soup bowl was gone. He scratched the back of his round head in confusion, mixed with amazement. Again, he looked up at the lights, this time noticing that they were back to normal. _That's strange…_  
Shirobon excused himself for a potty break and went out the back door. He managed to catch a glimpse of the duster disappearing in the alley. The scent of the vegetables wafted to his nostrils. That gave him an advantage in the pursuit.

He chased the stranger all the way into the woods. _The woods? What the heck?_ he thought again. He stepped on the crunchy fall leaves, giving away his appearance. Sweat beads appeared on his forehead. _Need to practice on my stealth…ugh… _At last, the scent trail stopped- only to lead somewhere else. Up in a tree. "Hey! Sir! Are you up there!?" a frustrated Shirobon yelled, shaking his fists. "If you are, come down here this instant! With my soup bowl!"

He thought he heard a young voice chuckle. But he paid no attention to it. He readied himself for climbing until a branch fell from the treetops. _Now how in the heck am I supposed to get up there!? _He heard the voice laugh again. "Still lazy as usual, huh?"

"I am not lazy!"

"Then why are you standing there?"

"Because I don't want to climb all the way up there!"

"Are you scared?"

"No! Just being cautious!"

The voice was laughing again. Shirobon thought it sounded familiar. _Rustle, rustle._ Few leaves came down as the stranger made his appearance. His duster floated downward magically. More sweat beads appeared on Shirobon's head. "…. You must be an exorcist!" he panicked, stepping back. The stranger reached back to his hood to reveal himself. Shirobon prepared for the unimaginable until he saw a pair of light blue squared eyes wink at him.

"It can't be… Jupiter?"

"In the flesh, ha ha!"

The next thing he saw was a pair of golden wings. They shimmered with gleaming confidence.

"Jupiter!? We thought you were…"

"Captured? Nah, those guys are too slow for me," Jupiter continued as he tossed the duster off. After tossing it off,

"You mean you escaped from Altair?"

"Of course."

"But I saw you! Flame, Mermaid, Sirius, Altair…"

"You saw only the beginning."

"Well, I won't ask for anything else, then."

"Then let me enjoy my soup in peace." _Sip, sip. _"Ah, that hits the spot."

"Jupiter, you need to go home to your parents. They're worried about you."

"I will. In my own time."

"….." Shirobon plopped beside the tree trunk. "Then what are you doing?"

"Waiting?"

"For the Shittenou?"

"What does the Shittenou have to do with this?"

"Let's just say that they're not in a good condition. The party disbanded after you ran away. It's only Flame and Mermaid left now. Grand Bomber had mysteriously disappeared and is nowhere to be found."

"You mean to say that Flame is a bloodthirsty beast?"

"That's a good point."

"I'll be ready for him."

"That's good." Shirobon smiled and started his trek for home. Once he was out of earshot he muttered, "Still stubborn as ever." Then he felt a light_ whop! _on the back of his head. He frowned as he rubbed it. His frown turned into a deep, bold V as he realized the distance he had to cover to get to the Ramen Shop.

**Rebirth of the Bomber Shittenou!**

"So, is the plan settled?" Flame Bomber asked everyone. "Or disagreements?"

"You know that there's only three of us in a claustrophobic warehouse?" Mermaid added sarcastically. Flame reminded himself to keep his temper in check as he gave her a warning glare. She leaned over and whispered to Grand Bomber, "He's taking his job too seriously." Grand Bomber gave a subtle nod.

Grand Bomber stood up, giving his first opinion. "When do we commence Shirobon's ambush?"

"Tomorrow at sundown."

"Why are we exactly doing this, brother?"

Flame Bomber sighed, face palming. "Do I have to explain everything? We don't want any witnesses once we kill Jupiter. We have been defeated once, but we won't be again!"

Grand Bomber decided to not to disagree but a sweat mark appeared on his head.  
"Well?" Flame asked suspiciously. Grand didn't answer, but stood rigid. Flame shook his head, but kept a close eye on him.  
Mermaid laid a hand on Flame's shoulder. He flinched. "Flame, this isn't right. You know Jupiter can't control himself." Flame Bomber's shoulder sagged as he sighed. "Just leave me alone."

_Just you wait, Jupiter's folks. Wait till you see the pain felt as my brother was wiped off the face of the earth. I hope you're still around to see this show. Heh heh…_

Mermaid and Grand Bomber left the room, worrying about their new leader. They walked from the warehouse to the rice field across their hideout. They stood at the edge of the field, gazing over the newly planted harvest. "Shirobon… we will plant rice again, someday…" Grand Bomber murmured.

Mermaid disbelievingly frowned. "You planted rice with him?"

"Of course! No one who gets muddy from working in rice paddies can be a bad person!" Grand smiled, reminiscing over first meeting Shirobon on Planeta Arroz. He huffed a sad puff. "But no one ever plants rice anymore…"

Mermaid laid a confident hand on her big brother. "Don't worry, big brother! There's many other rice planters in the world! We will unite as one and plant rice together! As a family, we will eat onigiri!" she grinned. Grand Bomber laughed at her optimism. "Yes, we will," his rocky hand grabbed her gloved one, raising them in the air.

**The Brothers and Sister Unite!- Black Fortress and Rainbow Palace Friends**

Regulus slammed his drink down on the table. "He needs to learn to fend for himself!"  
Zoniha counterattacked across from his position. "He needs help! Needing us!"

Pausing his pacing in the living room, Baelfael shouted, "SHUT UP!" to the dining room's debaters. He scoffed at the fact of living together without ripping each other's throats out. They would argue about anything. He pressed a hand to his face and looked to Ashtarth.  
The knight of wind was meditating, eyes closed in concentration. He made no sound but opened his eyes to scan his surroundings then closed them back. His palms was held forward, holding an invisible but calm aura. _I wish I could tune out like him, _the jealous Baelfael thought.  
He went back to his pacing, trying to think of useful plans.

Jupiter's childhood friends reunited after hearing the Shittenou's proposal to avenge their fallen leader. And so far, things haven't been going well.

"Then we could split the mission," Zoniha said cautiously, vying to end the argument. Regulus nodded, allowing her to continue. "Shirobon's mine," he piped, ignoring Zoniha's smirk.

"Now we're getting somewhere!" said a relieved Baelfael. It was an hour until 8pm, and everyone was tired. Tired from the long trek it took to head to Bomber Town. And tired from hearing each other's mouths flap.  
Regulus and Zoniha entered the living room, sitting down together on the leather couch. "We have come to a decision," Zoniha began.  
"Tomorrow, before it gets too late," Regulus explained, "We will take Jupiter's parents and move them to a safer place. To Green Garden. And before you can say anything, the Leviathan has been exterminated ages ago."

"Good," Baelfael said. "And while you two were bickering like an old couple, Ashtarth has provided us with the solution of taking care of the Shittenou."

Ashtarth flexed, snapping out of the meditation. "Baelfael and Behemos will hold them off until I can find Jupiter or Shirobon. Maybe both. But we'll have to lead the trackers off our path."  
Baelfael handed him a map of Blue Resort. "Here's where you got."  
Ashtarth nodded, scanning it over. "Small place."  
"And it's about to get even smaller because we ain't got _FOOD!_" Regulus shouted, leaning in the refrigerator. Baelfael and Zoniha face-palmed. "All we got is _freaking pudding!_"  
Zoniha gave herself a note to go shopping once the whole thing was over. And to move out of this cramped apartment.

"It's settled. We have tonight to prepare. Use time wisely," Baelfael finished. He departed to his room, then everyone else followed the same suit while Ashtarth stayed behind.

Ashtarth retreated into the darkness, with his orange eyes glowing. He pressed his hand close to his headset, contacting Baefael. "Wind to Flame. Wind to Flame, over."  
Baelfael's voice crackled through the speaker. "You're out this late? Weirdo." Ashtarth smirked. "I think I know where Shirobon is. Keep your eyes peeled for us. We'll be back."

**The Last Night- Shirobon Meets the Astral Knight**

Shirobon hung his apron in the worker's wardrobe. "Tomorrow is another day," he sighed to himself. The lights started their flickering sequence. "Jupiter? Is that you?" he called out nervously.

Ashtarth entered the Ramen Shop through the obvious, open back door.  
"Shirobon," he spoke to the wary bomberman.  
Shirobon spun around, losing his balance. "EEK!" he squealed. "Who are you!?"  
"I am Ashtarth. Lord of the Winds."  
"An Astral Knight!"  
"Come with me to a safe place."  
"Eh! I've heard about people like you! Burning Fire Bomb!" Shirobon prepared his attack, but Ashtarth easily walked up to him and knocked it away. Sweat beads appeared on his head.  
"Uh? What is your proposal?" the boy asked nervously.

_***Fast forward to 3 minutes later***_

"Come Shirobon! The wind is on our side for the night!"

Shirobon panted from the traveling, weary of a home. "Can't you just blow me there?"

Ashtarth paused for a moment. "Smart thinking." He planted two bombs behind them and waited for the countdown.  
Shirobon flailed his arms around. "You're going to kill us!?"

_WHIRL-WHIRL-WHOOSH! _The wind bombs created separate tornados, blowing knight and the screaming boy all the way back to the apartment.

_**Switch to Jupiter's POV**_

Jupiter was rocking himself on the branch, using his wings to cover himself from the deathly grips of the night. He was thinking to himself about his parents and Shirobon's advice. "They must've been worried sick," he thought.  
He thought of the good memories they brought him, and those hard times in which they comforted him. Then he felt a pang in his heart. He couldn't face the fact that his mother was trying to save his life during conception. _And this is how he thanked her?_ He confidentially unfurled his wings. "I'm coming, Mom!" he yelled. He jumped off the branch, tucking his wings in. Then he opened them to the fullest wingspan in the falcon dive. Up and down, up and down. His wings beat steadily as he headed out of the woods to Blue Resort.

**Bomber Shittenou POV**

Flame walked outside of the warehouse, looking at Mermaid and Grand Bomber planting rice. He crossed his arms, stubbornly thinking of how sweet the revenge would be. Raging blood coursed through his veins as his heart began to harden. Not even the hilarious sight of Mermaid being scolded wouldn't make him happy.

_WHOOOSH! _A powerful gust of wind swept off his feet. And landed rock hard. He growled, standing up to see two figures flying across the horizon. Grand and Mermaid didn't seem to notice, hunched over in work. Flame squinted his eyes, trying to make them out. He fired a volley of curses once he realized the plan had backfired. "The Knights! I should've known! They've already got Shirobon. But they haven't got Jupiter!"  
"Grand! Mermaid! Get your butts over here! We attack! _Now! NOW!" _The flame on his head began to spurt enraged sparks, as he clenched his fists.

"Ah ha ha ha!" he evilly laughed. His anger began to turn into a psychotic bliss. He danced on his feet, the spirit of war enveloping him. He was ready to lay his hands on his enemies' throats.

Grand and Mermaid Bomber saw Flame's fire spurt and ran over to him. "What's gotten into bro?" Grand asked.

"I don't know," Mermaid answered. She looked up at the sky, which was turning a familiar dark pitch. "But we're about to find out!"

**END OF PART 2**


	4. The Shittenou Attacks! The Finale

**PART 3- Finale  
**

**The Shittenou Attacks!**

_Flame Bomber: Grand Bomber, you go and take care of Shirobon. Mermaid and I will handle Jupiter ourselves. Is that settled, Shittenou?  
Grand Bomber and Mermaid Bomber: Yes, Flame Bomber!_

_Flame Bomber: Let's go, go, GO!_

**Jupiter the Fighter**

Jupiter raced home looking for his parents. "Mom! Dad! I'm home!" he yelled, bursting through the door. Surprisingly, no one stood awake waiting for him. _They must be sleeping, _he thought as he crept up the stairs. He opened the bedroom door quietly. Peeking inside, no one was there to acknowledge him. The only thing that seemed unusual was the rumpled sheets. _Wow. They're tuckered out from waiting for me, _he thought.

"Please wake up," he said, "It's Jupiter. Your star."

"A star indeed," a feeble voice replied. Jupiter frowned, but kept talking. "You have been worrying sick about me, haven't you?"

"Yes, we have," Orion's voice wavered. "We were about to give up on you."

Jupiter snuck closer to the bed. Their forms were breathing, but mobile. "You don't sound very well," he guessed, smirking.

"We became sick."

"Of course you did." He tip-toed to the head post of the bed.

_***cough cough***_

"You're not my parents!" Jupiter yelled, pulling the covers back.

"And we are not you!" the two youthful voices chorused. Flame and Mermaid Bomber sprang with a net, covering him with it. "Hey! Let me out of this thing!"

Flame Bomber stood over him, planting his foot on the net's corners. His eyes were blazing red. "Jupiter. I have longed for this moment."  
"And you don't know how much I want to kick your butt right now," Jupiter seethed.  
Mermaid rolled her eyes at the exchange. _He never takes his job seriously..._  
Flame Bomber pulled out a dagger emblazoned in flames. "I'll enjoy this..."  
Jupiter's eyes narrowed. Extending his claws, he scratched his way out of the net. Mermaid accidentally stepped back as he stood up, causing her to fall over onto the bed. "Mermaid! You idiot!"  
Jupiter pushed Flame Bomber onto the floor, punching him across the head. Flame propelled him with his feet, making Jupiter crash into the vanity mirror. The mirror smashed into tiny little pieces.

Jupiter got up to find Flame Bomber pouncing on him. The two rolled into a little ball of mess as they went down the stairs. The new arena was set in the living room as they circled the couch, growling.

Flame Bomber, who was the closest to the fireplace, kicked the flaming logs on the furniture, setting most of the room on fire. The fire enveloped him in a fiery circle, their flames licking at his body. "Ah ha ha ha!" he laughed, walking through the circle. "Let's play a game of cat and mouse! I'm all fired up!"

Back in the bedroom, Mermaid muttered to herself, "Screw this. I'm outta here," and left the room. She climbed out of the window, landing into a bush.

He prepared himself with a dragon-shaped cannon on his right arm. He scanned the living room as he walked through. He snootily sniffed as he couldn't see Jupiter through the flames. "Hmph. Serves him right."

**Grand Bomber Encounters Difficulties...**

Grand Bomber entered the Ramen Shop, sweat pouring from his rocky head. "This cursed summer heat!" he muttered to himself. He crashed through the front door, clumsily knocking over the wooden furniture. He panicked, thinking of the enraged shop owner.

"Oh dear..." He picked up the door and tried to fit it through the hinges.

"EEK!" Shirobon was standing on the steps to the shop and screamed as he saw the intruder. "What are you doing to my shop!?"

"AAH!" Grand Bomber yelled, dropping the crumpled door.

The two screamed upon seeing each other. Shirobon gasped and pointed to Grand Bomber. "You!"

Grand Bomber pointed to him. "You!"

"You're-" Shirobon was at loss for words. Beads of sweat appeared on Grand as he listened to his next words.

"You're that man I met at Tagaya!" Shirobon smiled. "Ha ha! So you did keep your promise! When do we start planting?"  
Grand Bomber remembered what he promised and laughed uneasily. "Ah yes, Shirobon. Yes, the rice planting!"  
The two laughed, remembering the good memories rice planting gave. Then Shirobon stopped laughing and pointed at him again. "SHITTENOU!"  
Grand Bomber grabbed to Shirobon's wrist as he tried to explain the situation. "Shirobon! Let me explain! I'm not of Shittenou blood."

Shirobon frowned. "What?"

_BOOM! _A huge light caught their attention faraway. Shirobon frowned, turning to Grand Bomber. "Causing destruction and havoc? You double-crosser!" He tried to single-handedly throw a bomb, but Grand Bomber only tightened his grip. "Listen to me, Shirobon! We have to save your friend!"

"If you're trying to save him, then why did you come here?"

"Once the Shittenou takes care of Jupiter, they're coming to you! I was sent here to take care of you, but I have different plans."

"...Grand... So you're on our side?" Grand Bomber smiled in response, letting go of Shirobon. Shirobon's eyes switched to Grand, then the forest. Back and forth, until he sighed, holding up his hands. "I guess we're rice buddies again."

"Well done, Shirobon. I never thought that you had the bravado," Ashtarth was smiling as he clapped for the young bomber. A huge question mark appeared on Grand Bomber's head, trying to comprehend the newcomer. Shirobon face palmed in embarrassment.

**Return to Battle!**

"Star Attack!" A fusillade of stars crashed through the living room's windows. "What the-!?" Flame shrieked. The stars that passed through the flames turned into shooting stars. Not only they hit more furniture, but they hit the walls also. "Too much! Too much!" he yelled, running out of the house.

Jupiter had his target in the crossfire and fired a Star Beam. The laser made contact with the grass, towing behind the confused bomber. While his combatant was distracted, Flame took it as an opportunity to throw a set of bombs at Jupiter. Jupiter easily dodged to the side with a barrel roll into the bushes, feigning pain.

"Woo hoo! I guess I'll be able to finish you off!" Flame said enthusiastically, his orange sparks turning into dark crimson ones. A pillar of fire surrounded him as he made his transformation. "Here I go!" The dragon symbol on his back turned into his right arm's cannon. "Flame Fire Bomb!" A bomb appeared in the dragon's mouth. The pillar swirled around him in a vortex.

_This is my chance!_

"Bomber Sh-" His attack was interrupted as he noticed Jupiter hovering in the air. Jupiter's wingspan reached an incredible length as they once again absorbed the moon and stars' energy. He raised his arms in the air, producing two energy orbs.

Flame was outraged. His eyes began glowing red again. "Dang it!" He jumped and fired. "Bomber Shoot!" The bomb traveled up, up, and up into the night sky. Flames enveloping it, the bomb turned into a fireball.

Jupiter saw it as his perfect chance. Clapping his hands together, the orbs fizzled and crackled into one huge ball. The fusion's effect caused the parameters, including the whole sky to light up. "Star Beam!" He fired the ultimate laser, locked on target.

"NO! AUUUGHH!"

_Fwsshhh... BOOM! _Explosion occurred as the laser and target made contact. All that was left were charred grass, a big hole, and Flame's burnt body. His body was missing skin, and showing a couple of bones.

Jupiter walked up to the second-in-command and shook his head in pity.

**Aeris' Theme- Final Fantasy 7**

"Only if he learned to live in peace," Ashtarth said walking up. Jupiter's hands balled up into fists. "Peace, young knight. I'm Ashtarth. Lord of the Winds."  
Jupiter blinked. "Ashtarth? You seem familiar."  
Ashtarth surveyed him. "You must be Jupiter. My friend at Black Fortress?"  
"Ashtarth!" Jupiter blinked gratefully at him. Ashtarth nodded. "It has been a long time."  
"Where's everyone else?"

Before Ashtarth could reply, a shout was heard.  
"Jupiter!" Shirobon ran forward to meet him in a hug. "You did it!"  
"Shirobon!"  
The two friends embraced each other for what seemed like an eternity. "You're OK!" they both said to one another.  
"I don't care if you're a monster, you're still my best buddy," Shirobon declared, putting his hand forward. The boys shook warmly as they shook. They both remembered the first time they met.  
"Hey! There was a party and you didn't invite me?" Baelfael stepped out of the shadows with Grand Bomber behind him. His crown of hair was blazing with anticipation. He looked to the side and saw Flame Bomber's body.

He knelt beside the body, bowing his head in respect. "Brother of the Flame," he whispered in a chant.  
_You who died in fire, may it be light or dark.  
You who once lived in zest.  
May your soul rest in peace.  
As I take your earthly form  
and lay it to rest.  
_Baelfael passed a hand over his body, which began to light itself on fire.

Four more figures entered the scene. The fifth, Mermaid Bomber silently joined Grand Bomber's side as they both contemplated the loss of their two "brothers".

"Mom! Dad!" Jupiter rushed forward to meet Orion and Artemis as they held him in a tight hug. "Jupiter!" Artemis' white eyes were red from multiple crying days, while Orion's heart suddenly beat in its steady rhythm again. "We were worrying about you for 14 years!" Artemis sobbed happily. Jupiter eagerly jumped into his father's arms, despite his age and nuzzled into him, folding his wings in.

"The moon and stars were in your favor, I can see that," Artemis smiled. Orion was at a loss for words as he stared at his found son.

Regulus and Zoniha entered bickering once again. "See! This is the shortcut!" Zoniha fired. "But this isn't the most exciting part!" Regulus shot back.

Everyone turned after hearing the _whiffff_ of the flames. "What's that?" Shirobon asked.

Admist the smoke, a ghostly counterpart of Flame rose from his body. He seemed to be unsure that he was dead, since he was examining his hands. He slowly blinked once, registering this fact. And he seemed to like the fact that he could fly. He happily floated in a circle. A white glow covered the ghost with a chilling temperature. He had no voice, which was very difficult for expressing his last thoughts before departing.  
But those close to him like Mermaid and Grand Bomber, he had a warming touch.  
Flame looked first to Grand Bomber with a respectful look on his face. He nodded, acknowledging his big brother.  
Then he turned to Mermaid Bomber. Her eyes began to water at his sight. "It never had to be this way," she whispered. His head bowed staring at the ground. Shaking his head, he confirmed that fact. He laid a cold hand on her shoulder, and smiled. With his index finger, he raised her head, silently letting her know that everything will be okay. Once she returned the smile, he let her go.

Two more ghostly presence appeared next to him. Flame started to jump up and down. Then floated in a circle around them.  
The first ghost was in the shape of the deceased Mighty of the immediately raced to dash into his brother's arms upon seeing him. "Mighty!"

Shirobon embraced his brother as all of those lost years came back to him. Unlike the former ghosts, Mighty was able to speak. He was whispering some indistinct words, then turned to the third and final ghost. The third ghost was quiet and didn't do very much. Taking the signal, the third made his move.

This ghost turned around to reveal himself as Thunder Bomber. Shirobon's jaw dropped as he registered the sight. He was standing in his leader's pose- cool, calm and collected. With crossed arms and thoughtful eyes. He turned to the Shittenou duo and gave them a subtle nod, also. He smiled to Mermaid Bomber, then turned back to Jupiter.

Turning his attention to Jupiter, he beckoned him with his gray eyes. Jupiter puffed up his chest and walked forward, meeting him face to face. Thunder stared at Jupiter for what almost seemed like an eternity. Ending the silence, Thunder Bomber said, "Thank You."  
Jupiter's face began to beam. Thunder Bomber stretched his hand to Jupiter, giving him for what seems to be a necklace.

The gold, crystal necklace was heart-shaped, filled with a phoenix's feather. Thunder Bomber's words traveled from the crystal to Jupiter's mind as it began to glow.  
_You've finally set us free and put us out of our misery. From you we learned the meaning of "peace" and "tranquility." If it wasn't for you, all of us would have suffered a similar fate, but much worse. You did the right thing, and ridden the world of such abominations that possessed us.  
The Shittenou must dissolve at once and pursue their own happiness. For being one caused such destruction.  
We owe our gratitude to you, Jupiter. We wish you a long and happy life.  
_When the speech ended, the crystal stopped glowing.

Flame Bomber, Thunder Bomber, and Mighty rejoined, forming a triangle. They raised their heads toward the sky and began to turn into sparkles. Their forms began to fade away as they were transformed into swirling white wisps. The white wisps ascended into the clouds and vanished into a bright light. The clouds turned into cumulonimbus clouds as it crackled with thunder. Rain began to pour down, falling on the latter.

Turning about them, flowers began to grow on the landscape. The flames on the house finally died out. As Jupiter blinked through the raindrops, he rejoined his parents. "Well done, Jupiter," Orion said.

The Astral Knights began to cheer him on, raising him in a crowd lift. "Jupiter! Jupiter! Jupiter!" When they finished, Shirobon gave the offer of dining on the house back at the Ramen Shop. Everyone agreed and traveled in a large party, trekking to the Ramen Shop. Orion and Artemis took both of Jupiter's hands, like in the younger days, and walked ahead.

_"Jupiter, no matter what happens, you will always shine in our eyes."_

A full moon protruded the rainclouds and a newly-formed constellation of our hero shone in the sky.

**THE END**

* * *

_That's the end of Jupiter! ^^  
Up next: Masker, a one-shot!  
_


	5. Masker

**Author's note:** _The very first story request from keronaxd. A portrayal of Orion and her OC, Jupiter in a battle between the two Astral Knights: Ashtarth and Baelfael.  
It's best if you play the music in the parenthesis. ;)_

**Disclaimers**: None of the characters belong to me. XD

* * *

**Masker**

**This Morning... (Blue Resort)**  
"Orion! Orion wake up!" A pillow was slammed into the latter's face as he tried to drift back to his dream.

"Artemis..." he mumbled.

"Who's Artemis? Come on, wake up! You're the one who agreed to fight with them today!"

Orion opened his sleepy eyes to find Jupiter kneeling over him on his bed. "It's 7 AM, Jupiter. Go home," he groaned groggily, turning over.

The galactic being sat for a moment pondering. "Geez, you're harder to wake up than my dragon." A little idea popped up into his mind. He snickered, slowly crawling closer to Orion's sleeping form. Then he slowly put his hands on the side of Orion's head. Once he fully secured the head, he began to chant a little song. His golden wings started glowing.

_Come little children, I'll take thee away... into a land of enchantment..._

Orion started shifting in his sleep. Mentally, he was going insane because his luxurious and sensual dream was being interrupted once again. "Artemis! No! Come back! We aren't finished yet!"

_Flash_

The volcano man's eyes popped open, with his pupils quickly scanning Jupiter's mischievous form. "Um, good morning?" Jupiter laughed. Orion grunted, "Good morning, my carcass." He finally stepped out of the bed, yawning. Walking to make some breakfast, Jupiter asked, "Aren't you going to open the windows?"

Orion shrugged. "It's light enough if you ask me."

Jupiter contrasted, "It's not very bright. I'm starving over here!" Orion sighed, once again forgetting that his friend was a soul eater. He opened the windows to a full extent, allowing the Star Guardian to soak up the energy in his body.

Orion sighed, sympathetic for his friend. He has to kill people to live. And that's how life was. From his perspective.  
When Jupiter looked over at him, he said, "Don't feel sorry for me. I was born like this." He smiled as the last of the sun's energy poured into his wings. He asked Orion, "Don't you ever get tired of living in the dark?"  
Come to think of it, the only fresh air he ever breathed was only fire, smoke, and smoke fumes. He thought of traveling with Jupiter to the stars someday to smell the clean air the galaxy offered.

Sitting across from the table, they sat across from each other, eating their breakfast in silence. Once finished, they did their daily routines and headed out to the battlefield.  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Orion asked worriedly.  
Jupiter, who was glowing with excitement said, "I was born ready!"  
Orion laughed, "Ha! You're underestimating your opponents!"

**Two days ago...**_  
_Orion sat in the shade of the huge oak tree in Blue Resort, watching Jupiter execute maneuvers and loops in the air. He closed his eyes for a moment. Then he heard a _SHRIEK! _  
He opened his eyes to find Jupiter caught in a headlock by another person of green.  
Before Orion could get up and help him, he found himself on the ground, face-planting in the dust. He looked up and saw another man standing over him, with flames for his head. "Well, well, who do we have, here?" the crimson man asked. Orion snarled, grabbing his attacker's ankle and pulled him. The fire man fell on his back hard, being dragged by Orion. Orion raised a furious fist into the air and pounded it on the ground. _Woop! Woop!_ A green electric force field stunned the crimson man, allowing Orion to throw him into the water. Then he ran below the combatants in the air.  
Jupiter freed himself from the headlock by knocking his head back against the green man's face. When he let go, the galactic form cast a star at him, knocking him far away.  
The two attackers regrouped, as Orion and Jupiter circled them. The crimson man laughed, "Easy! We don't want any trouble!" The second attacker stayed silent.  
Jupiter stood, crossing his arms. "_You're_ the ones who started this." He earned a glare from the man of wind.  
"And you're the ones standing in _our territory_!" Orion pointed out.  
The man of wind stood up, "You mean our territory." Jupiter shook his head. "No. _Our_ territory."  
The crimson man began, "Allow me to introduce ourselves. We are the Elemental Knights. I'm Baelfael, the Crimson Flame. And this is-"  
"Ashtarth! Lord of the Wild Winds!" the second man shouted. "Ashtarth!"  
"Orion," the volcano man said blatantly. Jupiter shouted confidentially, "Jupiter of the Stars! The commander of kicking your butt!"  
Ashtarth laughed lowly. "We'll see who will be king of the turf. We're meeting here again at sunrise. Tomorrow. Don't forget!" He and Baelfael walked away, tending to their bruises.  
"Who the heck are those guys?" Jupiter asked, to which Orion shrugged.

**Present Day, Sunrise (Masker)**

They reached the same place where they first met the Elemental Knights. Baelfael was impatiently tapping his foot while Ashtarth was meditating in the air. Jupiter hovered away with little sparkling stars falling behind him. Orion just calmly walked up across the Crimson Flame. The game was already set to begin. Two air combatants in the dogfight and a hand-to-hand combat on the ground.

"Are you ready to begin?" Baelfael called out.

"Ready when you are!" Jupiter shouted back.

Ashtarth ended his meditation and flexed his arms. _Kimashita..._

In everyone's minds, a silent gong sounded. Then the fighters dashed across, meeting each other.

Orion and Baelfael  
Two men of fire ran across, locking each other in a grip. Both of Baelfael's hands found their way to Orion's arms, giving him a slight advantage. The slimmer man used all of his strength to perform a wrestling move- flipping Orion hard on to his back. Orion thought that his backbone was cracked in all places. So did Baelfael. The two opponents groaned, in annoyance and pain.

While dodging Jupiter's barrage of stars, an irritated Ashtarth called out, "I told you that move was dangerous! And you _still _do it!"

Orion took his chance, and quickly jumped, stunning the ground. Baelfael was sent flying into a tree, being stunned again. Orion flew over and grabbed him. "Ugh...I hate being stunned..." Baelfael groaned. Orion victoriously carried him to the edge of the Resort and threw him into the bright blue waters. _SPLASH! _ "Works every time."

Jupiter and Ashtarth  
Jupiter furiously cast many stars as Ashtarth phlegmatically dodged from side to side, as if it was a game. Confused and irritated, Jupiter began to produce a light orb with the amount of energy he had been gathering from Orion's dreams since he failed to wake up on time. The orb fizzled with cracks and sparks flying as it grew bigger. To his surprise, Ashtarth wasn't defending himself from the attack. Jupiter assumed that he wasn't the type to cower and beg for mercy once he saw an inevitable end. That he was a warrior of dignity and would die a dignified death.

"This is just too easy," he laughed to himself.

Ashtarth watched him with a wary eye. _He is falling right into my trap._

"Light Attack!" Jupiter yelled. In the right pose, not too straightforward and not leaning on his left foot too much, he cast the perfect throw. The orb flew at a deadly speed, shining the brightest light.

Ashtarth stood rigid, with his arms crossed. _Kssssh- FWOOM!_ The light orb exploded and as Jupiter expected, his opponent wasn't there. Jupiter looked down at the ground, curious that he hadn't found any remains of the Knight.

Silently, Ashtarth brought his palms together in a forward stretch. "Kaze yo!"

Jupiter turned around to see Ashtarth produce a cyclone whirling toward him. "What the-" _WHOOSH!_ Jupiter circled around and around in the cyclone's vortex. The cyclone started spinning to the same tree where Baelfael was stunned. The vortex began to die out, allowing Jupiter to slow down the impact by opening his wings. Once the cyclone fully died out, he pushed with all the few gusts of wind that blew through the arena. He fell, unsure of what to do or who he was. Stars swam around his head in an imaginary circle.

Ashtarth saw his chance and floated ominously toward Jupiter. He delivered a series of roundhouses, uppercuts, and various kicks. He sent many cuts to Jupiter's body. After the final cut, he sent Jupiter up in a light tornado. "Taai no nai." Jupiter's body floated up in the tornado, laying in the crossfire. Ashtarth brought his right hand close to him, powering up another gust of wind. Then he slowly flexed his arm as it got bigger. He was close to finishing Jupiter when he was tackled from the side.

"Leave him alone!" Orion yelled. The tornado closed, leaving Jupiter's body on the ground in the hot sun. Ashtarth punched Orion in the stomach, then propelled his form off of him with his feet. "Now to finish what I started," he growled.

He threateningly walked up to Jupiter's body, trying the same move again. Jupiter opened his eyes, squinting to see the next attack. A plan formed in his mind, and he was compelled to execute it. Before Ashtarth's shocked eyes, he pushed himself up with one arm and cast a small light orb with the other. Ashtarth fell with a sickening _THUD! _hitting his side. Jupiter's shadow overcast him, blocking out the sun. "WHAT!? I thought you were-"

"Sleeping?" Jupiter laughed. "Fool! That was only a trick! You think I can't handle winds? The winds propel me to and fro every day in the galaxy. The wind is my ally in battle. The wind is my music to soothe me to sleep! The wind courses through my veins as I cast out the stars!" Jupiter evilly laughed, bringing his hands together, bringing the last light orb he could produce. The energy absorbed the light of day, leaving the sky dark and cloudy. To Ashtarth's shock and horror, he saw that it was the end for him. His pupils dilated in shock, automatically bringing a hand in front of his face. "You're a monster!"

Lo and behold, the electric light consumed the arena whole, leaving nothing but dead butterflies and burned trees. Jupiter stood victoriously over Ashtarth's charred body. "I- I did it..." he weakly whispered. Then he fainted, alongside the corpse.

Orion slowly crawled over to his unconscious friend and slowly stood up. He picked up the small form in his arms. "I think that's enough fighting for one day."

**The Next Day... (Aerith's Theme)**

Jupiter woke up in his bed to find a bowl of ramen and onigiri on the side table. The familiar smell reached his nostrils, lifting him up. As he pushed himself up, he winced from the cuts Ashtarth scratched on him. He tossed the covers back and found that Orion had tended to him while he was asleep, healing him with a salve. He found a medium-to-long scratch on his chest, as he struggled to take his first breath as a victor.

The door opened, Orion entering to check in on him. "You're still alive."

"Is that a good thing?"

"To say the least, yes."

The two laughed at their joke, glad to see each other relieved. As Orion sat on his bed, Jupiter noticed that a long bandage was wrapped around his lower torso. "Bruise?" Orion nodded in response.

"Who were those two guys?"

"From what I know, they're Elemental Knights. Off to no good, I suppose."

"Are there any more of them?"

"Let's hope not. But for now, let's just celebrate that we kept Blue Resort for the good of Bomber-kind. Otherwise, I think we would've been enveloped into darkness for an eternity."

"... Want some onigiri?"

"Sure."

The two sat, relaxing in Jupiter's room as they silently devoured ramen and onigiri.

**END**

* * *

**Well! That's all from us! See ya later! ^^  
To the readers of "A Knight's Acceptance," I'm working on a new chapter as I speak! Don't give up hope yet!**


	6. Astral Power

**Astral Power**

_A keronaxd Commission  
Plot: How Jupiter got his powers. Without the wings, red claws, and the blue armor._

"Ah, _hace calor_," Mouse panted, as she and her two comrades rested outside Shirobon's house. The sun's heat  
"Hey, don't blame me for the unpaid electric bill," Shirobon shot back. "That was your job." He earned a glare from her in response.  
Jupiter blinked, shielding the sun's rays with his hand. "There must be something we can do to pass the time. Let's go to the bookstore. I heard that new shipments were being imported into the Resort."  
Shirobon groaned in response. "Bookworms. They never get enough apples." Mouse forcibly slapped him, making a loud POP!

***At the library***  
"At least they have some good selections today," Mouse sighed as she flipped through the pages. She had much to be very thankful of. Last time they had visited the store, it was only teen romance novels involving monsters. An outburst about the genre led to what they call it, "a bookworm's rage." A traumatic experience involving rainy days and green tea ensued.  
Jupiter nodded, empathizing with her. As he searched, his eyes fell on huge, gold letters engraved on a brown, leather cover. With a large effort, he pulled the volume out of its place. He struggled to place it upon the table with a large THUD! Dust swirled into the open air.  
Mythology of the Astrals' Powers. He raised an eyebrow. Opening the covers, he began to read.

***With Mouse and Shirobon***  
"Ah, I remember that week. Flame was complaining about it," Shirobon chuckled to himself.  
Mouse wailed, flapping her arms, "It was only for a week!"  
Shirobon howled mimicking, "_Chica es no picante!_" His guffaws earned a loud SSSHHH! from the library's occupants. Mouse dragged him outside for a bombing session.

***Jupiter***  
"Ah, so that's the key," he mumbled to himself, jotting down notes on a scratchpad. In earnest, he flipped the pages for more information. The pages were filled with colorful picture of men and women that were the subject of those days. It also included information about such treasures that held a place in plunderer's hearts. He thought of all the wonders that encompassed this legend. He rushed out to tell the news in search of an artifact.  
Greeting a cloud of smoke and a pile of rubble, his mind swirled with confusion as he made his way to the top of a tree. "What the?" He spotted Shirobon and Mouse duking it out with firepower. Unfortunately, that meant half of the little community was almost gone. "Hey! Hey!" he yelled, waving his arms.  
His two friends saw him and paused. "I think he's found something else again," Shirobon lousily said and resumed pumping up a bomb.  
"Well, we better get over there! Who knows what he found? Maybe melons?" Mouse said innocently. Shirobon's eyes turned into watermelons, hearing that word. "What are we waiting for? Let's go, go, GO!"  
**  
*In the basement at Jupiter's house***  
"So, I have been reading that there's some kind of powerful artifact that gives off powers related to the moon and the stars."  
"Jupiter, we are your friends right?" Mouse asked. "We're very concerned about your health. I mean, you aren't-" she gestured to all of him. "That strong."  
Jupiter frowned.  
"What she means," Shirobon explained. He put an arm around his shoulder. "Is that you're too weak."  
"I'm not weak!" Jupiter yelled, jerking Shiro's arm off. "I'll show you! I'll show you all that I've got bravado!" He glared at them until they gave in. Mouse was the first to raise her hands in surrender.

_"What's the plan?"_

Three hours later, they arrived at Sky Horizon in a pink ship with Shiro as the pilot. Jupiter and Mouse wobbled outside of the aircraft with shaking knees, grappling the statues. "I am never. Hiring you as my driving again!" Jupiter breathed. His health wasn't acting the best, feeling a little tipsy.

"I'm kinda new to this thing," Shirobon grinned. "Not much of a sweat!"

Sky Horizon was composed of floatings ruins, decorated with shrines and a temple. Blue-haired medusa birds, pink pythons, and genies swarmed through the country. Rams that occasionally had the team climbing to the top of the statues ran amock. Accompanying them was the breezy wind.

Jupiter never liked the breezy wind, for he would always curl into a fetal position. Whimpering, he clutched the book tight as they made their way to the ancient temple. Shirobon lead as the head, hurling bombs at the unwelcoming enemies, while Mouse took up the rear. Then they ran through the smoke to a safe place. The cycle would continue until they reach a wall with strange text engraved in red.

Mouse read the text aloud, "Find the two crystals if you wish to awaken me. Take caution and watch your step. Huh. Convenient."

"We should split up from here," Jupiter said, opening the book. "They're located in the underground shrines. One is filled with pythons, the other is filled with stone guards."

"Uh... I'll take the southeast. Snakes scare me," Mouse quivered uneasily. She ran to the west side of the country, with Shirobon and Jupiter heading to the northwest.

**[Jupiter and Shirbon]**

"I'll take out the goat. Stay behind me," Shirobon ordered like a commander. Jupiter facepalmed. "It's called a ram."

"Still the same species. Now get down!"

He pumped up his bomb, aiming it at the ram. He held it up to his eyeball, targeting the line of attack. His concentration was disturbed by Jupiter's poke.

"What? Oh..." the duo found a scheming python behind them. With a warning hiss, it opened its mouth wide, showcasing the fangs. "AAAAAHHH!" They screamed and began to run through the area. The animals instantly caught their scent and followed them in a circle. The chase ensued for what seemed to be an eternity, until the animals grew tired and plopped asleep.

Once they were done running, Jupiter and Shirobon climbed to the rooftop of the West Shrine. Jupiter gave the next instructions. To open the door, they had to push four statues on top of their corresponding buttons. Shirobon grinned again, jumping down from his column.

He landed on top of the same ram, riding it like an enraged bull. "Yee haw!" With his crazy antic, he managed to force the statues into their places.

They walked inside, gazing up at the Blue Jewel on its stone pedestal.

"...I'm afraid of heights," Shirobon spoke, trying to sneak out of it. He turned back to the door. It closed with a great SLAM! He frowned, turning back to the stairs. He sighed and they commenced their trek to the top.

**[Mouse]**

Mouse muttered indistinguishable words, grabbing the torch. "This dump isn't the best to keep a zoo in." She leaped across the hole in the gaping floor. After overtaking the genies with Bomb Kicks, she finally reach the room where the Blue Jewel was held. Three Stone Guards guarded it.

She scanned the sides of the room. Then, she walked back a little. With a good running start, she leapt over their heads. One of the guards awoke and slashed at her leg in mid-air, to which she retorted with a Bomb Throw. Awkwardly, but gracefully, she landed next to the pedestal. "Dang it," she said, seeing a trickle of blood leave the cut. She retrieved the Blue Jewel, securing it in her sling backpack.

After leaving the same way she came, she went northwest to return to the altar. The silver altar had pictures of the ancient people who used to live there. There were also drawings of majestic beasts who breathed fire and the great birds that used to soar the sky. She tilted her head a little to see them.

Before she made anymore moves, she placed the Jewel in the left slot. Nothing happened. She frowned. Was Jupiter wrong?

_Looks like the winds have carried you here._

Mouse stood up, wincing because of the cut. "Who are you?"

"A friend or a foe, depending on your actions."

A man of green and purple walked out of the stairs' shadows, gazing at her with bright orange eyes. He tilted his head to the side curiously. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Mouse."

He introduced himself. "Welcome, Mouse of the Outsiders. I am Ashtarth, Lord of the Winds..."

He walked a little too close to her. Silently inhaling her sweet scent, he asked, "What are you here for?"

"An amulet," she answered. He smiled in response. "Hmm... a mortal like you don't belong around here. Is that what you seek?" She answered with a nod.

He put an arm around her. "I'll take you there on one condition."

She stiffened her shoulders. "If you would tell me more about yourself."

"Whatever you say."

Ashtarth smiled. "That's what I like to hear," he laughed. "So, what are you really here for?"

"An amulet," she repeated. "Reddish." She felt Ashtarth's hands stiffen also.

"Why would you want it?"

"Dunno," she shrugged. "Just curious."

"Curiosity kills the cat."

He escorted her to his temple where two Medusa birds guarded the entrance. With a flick of his hand, he cast away the birds. Another flick and the doors opened.

Mouse was in awe as they entered the temple. "It's beautiful," she said. Ashtarth beamed at the compliment. "It rested in peace for many years," he spoke.

They came to a stop at an elevator. He pressed some buttons in a sequence and they walked in. The elevator went down with a soft whirr. She felt the Knight's eyes burning into her from time to time. "So, I was born in an orphanage," she began to break the silence. He laughed again. "Everyone's born in an orphanage. You don't seem like one yourself. You're too beautiful to belong in such poverty."

**[Outside]**

Jupiter and Shirobon hurried out of the temple, puffing hard. "Okay, J?" Shirobon asked. Jupiter gave a thumbs up. "Never better!"

They went to the silver altar and placed it in its rightful place across from Mouse's Jewel.

Jupiter scrutinized it carefully, then looked around for her. "Say, if Mouse already placed it there, then where is she?"

As if in answer, the elevator from the sky was rushing down. "Heh, heh," Shirobon chuckled. Before Jupiter could protest, he was dragged and falling down the sky by Shiro. The team spread out their appendages like flying squirrels. Once they aligned themselves, they curled into roly-poly position and landed on the top of the elevator.

**[Inside]**

"And that's how I got here," Ashtarth finished. Mouse stared at him in wonder. "Wow!"

A pause ensued before she spoke again. "Does the sky ever get lonely for you?"

He shook his head. "No. I have the wind to converse with."

"But the animals don't speak."

"True."

His eyes traveled down to her leg's wound. He crawled over to where she was sitting. Passing a hand over it, he closed his eyes in concentration. She blinked, and the wound was healed. She couldn't open her mouth to thank him, since the elevator bell sounded.

_Ding! _The elevator stopped and the doors opened to a chamber. Ashtarth's hand slipped into hers, and with the other, he grabbed a nearby torch. "This way. You can get easily lost in here."  
The couple traveled to the last room where the amulet was.

"This is my most prized possession. You are the only person whose eyes have laid upon it," he breathed quietly. Mouse's breath was taken away. He took it out of its case and held it in open hands. She was about to take it when-

"Why do you need it?"

She sighed. The truth had to be told. "For a friend of mine. He is very sick."

"Friend? You mean there are others?"

"….yeah…."

A shadow of hostility passed over his face. He clenched the amulet back in his hands. "Then why should I give it to you?"

"It's for a good cause!"

"You're a thief!" he snarled, putting it back in the case. He snatched Mouse's wrist. "And to think I trusted you! You're just like them!"

_"Bomb Throw!"_

_Kaboom!_

Before she knew it, she was dragged away from Ashtarth. When she recognized their faces, she replied sarcastically, "I can take care of myself, thanks."

Jupiter rushed to behind a pillar. The pillar was close to where Ashtarth was standing.

"Where are you mortals!?" the Wind Knight roared. He prepared two cyclones in his hands.

"Bomb Kick!" Jupiter yelled, kicking it straight into him. Ashtarth's eyes flickered to the bomb and thrust one cyclone there. Shirobon and Mouse snuck behind him, quickly taking the necklace from the open case. Shirobon motioned for Jupiter to rally to their side.

The three snuck onto the elevator with an enraged Ashtarth flying after them. "You won't get away with this!" The doors slammed before he could get in.

The trio raced with their might up and back to Shirobon's ship. "There it is!" they cried with relief. But before reaching it-

"AH HA!" Ashtarth rushed in front of them, trapping them in a cage. "Hey! That's not fair!" Jupiter protested.

"Mm, you may be smart, but I'm clever!" the knight laughed.

"You won't get away with this!" Mouse screeched. She prepared a bomb in her hand until Jupiter stopped her. "Don't! The impact will be too big!" With a sour look on her face, she stopped.

"I did! Now if you will excuse me, I have a couple of things to take care of." He flew away to some unknown business.

Shirobon and Mouse sat slumped. All hope seemed to be lost for them.

"Mouse?"

"Yeah, Shiro?"

"Before I die, I just want to tell you that you're a great friend."

"Aw, thanks, Shiro~ You're a good one, too."

"And that I broke your tea set."

"SHIROBONNN!" She was about to beat him to death until she followed his shocked expression.

They were staring at Jupiter, who was enveloped with sparkles. "You're a vampire!"  
_SLAP!  
_"Ow!"

Jupiter could only look at his hands, to which they were tipped with red claws. A blue armor encased his body, protecting him. The shiny red amulet placed itself at his neck. He was blown away.

"Oh my stars," he whispered. Shirobon punched his fist in the air, saying, "Now we can get out of here!"

"Umm…" Jupiter put his hands together. A small fizz sounded. A little electric ball formed between his palms. With a wrist's flick, the cage combusted into little pieces.

"How did you get out?" They turned to Ashtarth, whose eyes were twitching.

"Uh…"

"THE AMULET!" Ashtarth yelled. He flew instantly for it, but was knocked back by Jupiter's orb. The three leaned over him, trying to decide his outcome. "I think he's sleeping," Shirobon said. So they just left him lying there and walked back to the plane.

"I don't think I need to get on," Jupiter said quietly.

Shirobon raised his eyebrow. "Is it because of my driving skills? I promise I'll-"

_FWOOSH! _Two yellow wings sprouted out of Jupiter's back. "I think that's why," Jupiter smiled. With a flap, he burst off into the air with the plane following behind him. They exited Sky Horizon

**[Back at Blue Resort]**

"Hey Mouse! Pass me the dictionary!"

_Thump! _The book landed safely in his hands, with the help of controlling the gravity. "This is a cinch!"

"Easy for you to say!" Mouse panted. She wiped the sweat from her face before smashing Shirobon in the face with a magazine. "Help us out, here!" Shirobon woke up for a moment before falling back asleep. The bombergirl sighed and continued to sort the books out.

Jupiter smiled at the nonsense. The amulet finally gave him what he wished for: strength and confidence. Along with some supernatural powers. He believed that this will help him for many years to come.

**THE END**

* * *

**Panda: Well finished.**

**Kerona: WELL THAT TOOK LONG! *continues to thrash Panda***

**(^^;**


	7. Spring Tea Festival- Part 1

**Spring Festival- Part 1**

**A Keronaxd Commission by Kitsune0jester**

"Augh. The Spring Festival will be here, soon." Kurbon slammed his head against the door of the living room. "That pest will keep asking me to be her partner for the dances."

"Aw, cheer up, Kuro," Shirobon said, snatching the flyer from him. He began to sing in a chirpy tone. "There will be watermelons, onigiri, and ramen~!"

"Not to mention all the sweets they will offer," Sirius added.

"Mmph. Let's just hope that you won't set everything on fire like you did last year," Regulus said, crossing his arms.

Shirobon flailed his hands. "It wasn't my fault that the butterfly kept escaping."

"Anyways," Regulus continued. "It's our turn to find a place where we can hold the Festival. Any ideas?"

"Not Blue Resort. I hate swimming," Flame Bomber complained.

Thunder Bomber sighed. "At least we have the tea to look forward to."

"Mmm, true brother. Additionally, I already have a reservation at Arroz. We host the festival there," Grand Bomber added.

"You are a genius!" Regulus blinked at Grand gratefully. "Now, since we got that out of the way, what kind of tea should we bring?" They all agreed on the decision of bringing black tea with cherry blossom petals.

"Ah, this is getting easier each year," Shirobon yawned. He reclined on his leather sofa as he drank his soda.

"What sweets should we bring?"

They paused for a moment, hands on chin. The pondering ended with the shout of, "Crepes!"

"Chocolate-dipped strawberries!"

"Melons!"

"Easy for you to say," Orion retorted. Everyone leaned in, gazing at him curiously.

"What's the matter, O? Problems?" Altair snickered. They leaned in curiously.

"N-nothing!" Orion squeaked. "Nothing at all!" His cheeks started to turn red.

"SPRING FEVER!" the guys hooted in unison. "Orion's got a crush!" The guys laughed, slapping him on the back.

"Who's it this time?" Sirius smirked, leaning closer to Orion who began to sweatdrop.

"N-No one!" Orion repeated.

"Ah, the great and mighty Orion of the volcanoes falls prone to chocolates!" Sirius said, jumping on the dining room's table.

"THAT'S NOT RELEVANT!" Regulus yelled, causing the commotion to end. He quietly cleared his throat and wiped a smudge off his visor. "Now that we have agreed on the preparations, we have to buy them."

The guys groaned. The one thing they hated was shopping. Except for Gold and Grand. The two bulky guys found serenity in shopping. In return, they were the first two guys selected by Regulus to do the job.

"I told you this was getting easy," Shirobon smiled.

"So... I guess this concludes. Now I will send you off with the warning that this should be kept a secret. If any of this slips from the tongue... I shall deal with you personally. Now get out of my house!"

The guys scrambled out of the house as Regulus calmly sat on his couch. Altair and Orion remained where they were, turning to one another. Regulus and Altair's eyes fell on Orion, waiting to see what he does next.

"You? Like Artemis?" Altair inquired to Orion.

Orion said nothing, but looked down at his feet.

"That's highly unlikely," Regulus scoffed. "What have you been drinking lately?"

"Nothing," Orion spoke in a haughty tone. "Can't a guy harbor feelings?"

Altair shrugged. "It will only affect your performance in the battlefield."

Orion frowned. "Battlefield?"

His leader beamed instantly. "Yes! A battlefield!"

Regulus and Orion sweatdropped. "I didn't have a battlefield in my plans, but it sounds good," the ice man spoke.

"The participants of the Tea Festival will be randomly chosen from this ballot!" Altair pulled from behind him a glass ball filled with paper slips. Regulus held up his hands in surrender. "No need to explain it to us further, Lord Altair," he said. "Whatever you say will be our command."

"But," Altair continued, "I also have a plan." Turning to Orion, he gave him a little smirk. Orion began to sweat even further. "Oh darn-"

***At Artemis' house***

"Can't we just ignore this?" Orion groaned. With every step, his knees turned to jelly.

"You're the one who likes her, so you're the one who has to do it," Regulus said, pushing him forward.

"Fine..." Orion sighed. He stood on the concrete sidewalk leading to Artemis' front door. He counted to bring himself together. _Uno, dos, tres, cuarto, cinco, seis..._

Reaching the set of steps, he repeated to himself. "I will ask her to the festival. Do not panic, Orion. She's just another being, just like me."

He knocked on the door.

_Ding dong! _To his surprise, Artemis answered immediately.

"Uh... hi..." Orion said, grinning sheepishly.

"Hey. What's that you got in your hand?"

He almost forgot that he brought a box of chocolates. He gave it to her. Her huge white eyes scanned the present, then peeked inside, confirming it wasn't a bomb. She smiled, making Orion do cartwheels in his head. "Thanks. What else you want?"

"W-well... I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if you would come to the Festival with me? As partners?"

An awkward silence ensued. _I probably shouldn't have asked her! Now she might not want to go with me!_

But suddenly, she clutched the box to her chest and whispered, "Yes." She cleared her throat and spoke a little louder. "Yes. I'll go with you."

Orion sprang backwards, accomplishing a somersault. "YEE HAW!" Artemis laughed heartily as his trick. "So I guess I'll see you there?" she asked.  
"You bet!" he shouted, he exited out of her courtyard.

On his way back, he slammed into Altair and Regulus. _Crash! _

"So how'd it go?" The two stared at him for the result.

"She said yes! YO HOO!" the bomberman exclaimed with joy. The two congratulated him, slapping him on the back.

"All we have to do is to get ready! This Festival will be a hit!"

* * *

**Author's note (9/18/2013)- ****_Hey everyone! It's been a long time, hasn't it?  
_****keronaxd: IT HAS!  
*beatdown ensues*  
Mouse: Yes! Yes! Have mercy on me!  
keronaxd: Alright. *lets Mouse go*  
Mouse: Anyways, I apologize for the long wait. School has been getting in the way, that I haven't snatched the time I needed for free time. But don't worry, I'm still here. **

**That's all folks!**


	8. Spring Tea Festival- Part 2

**Spring Tea Festival Part 2**

**Shopping at Chopsi**  
**Shop:** Chopsi-Go  
**Time:** 9:00 AM

The men entered the store to find the aisles jam-packed with shoppers bargaining with prices and colorful advertisements festooned across the room. It was freezing inside, so it wasn't a surprise that most other customers were bundled in jackets and scarves. But to the latter, it wasn't a problem, due to their huge weight. Nevertheless, they too were attired with jackets.

They started in the party supplies section, where there only maybe one or two civilians pondering here or there. First, they picked out paper napkins. The napkins had a soft touch to them with a light green color. "Cleanliness ensures happiness," Grand cheerfully whistled as he dropped one in the shopping cart. Gold took his turn to pick out the plates. He chose the rosy pink to appeal to the ladies' nature. "Fwo ho ho, this is going so well," Gold laughed. "Indeed!" Grand chortled.

Next, they headed for the general aisle. There, it was heck. Battles over the last gallon of milk, the bucket of shiny apples, and a can of Red Bull were common in these parts. Damaging wars waged ever day, claiming dropped money. Yet, out of the raging mist, a battered and bruised victor arises. He would rush to the checkpoints, only to be trampled by the enraged combatants exiting the store.

Grand and Gold rushed through the heat like two quarterbacks. Crushing customers was what they were best at.

"Excuse me!"

"Pardon!"

"Coming through!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, was that your auntie?"

But there was one opponent they weren't no match for.

"Hands off my box!"

Whap! Gold was smacked in the face by an old lady's purse. His face was tinged red with embarrassment "P-pardon me, ma'am," he quivered, tipping his snow cap.  
"Pardon my butt!" the old lady scoffed. "Stay out the way, sonny! These pies ain't going to get cold under my watch!" She pushed past him and the load of customers.

Gold rubbed his swollen cheek. "You think that they'd give some respect around here," he muttered in disdain. Grand silently poked him, pointing in the direction of a certain pedestrian...

* * *

Thunder Bomber searched up and down throughout the isles. He was absorbed in his quest to find the perfect present for Mermaid Bomber.

But the truth was... He couldn't find what seemed good for her. From all the years that he grew up with her, he could tell what she considered perfect or not. With fortune, he found a bouquet of roses, a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and a pearl necklace. It didn't really seem great in his eyes, but in hers, it would look like treasure.

His head tilted to the side curiously, pondering on what to buy next. His gray eyes turned dark, lost in thought.  
_What do I choose?..._

"Thunder Bomber! I never thought I'd see you here!"

Thunder whipped his head around to see Orion shopping beside him. It was pretty awkward and appaling for their eyes. Both were thinking the same thing. _What are you doing here?_

Orion was the first to talk. "I'm just buying a little gift for Artemis. What are you doing?"

Thunder Bomber was speechless. He didn't know what to say, shifting his feet. "..."

Orion tilted his head to the side curiously. "What's the matter? Cat's got your tongue?" _The Legendary Thunder Bomber. A voiceless bomberman? What great shock! _he thought in his mind. _He's never speechless like this. Maybe I'm not the only one with a problem!_

"Thunder Bomber! Orion? Such a delight and mystery to see you here at Chopsi! What have you two been up to?"

A great silence ensued, despite the customers' noise.

Grand and Gold each surveyed the items in each of their hands. Their eyebrows rose in suspicion. "You two have _dates?_" they asked in unison.

Thunder Bomber was the first to blush. In a tsundere manner, he blurted, "No no no! You're mistaken! I'm just buying gifts for my mom!"

Orion laughed. "That's what they all say~" Grand and Gold nodded.

"What about you?" Gold asked. It was Orion's turn to be investigated. But Orion was more defiant than Thunder Bomber. If he could ask Artemis out, he could tell what he would do next!

"I'm buying for Artemis," he answered.

Grand and Gold laughed. "Fwo ho ho! Two fires made into one forest fire! A real treat!"

The shout of the angry cashiers brought the bomberman back to the real world. Thunder Bomber departed with a blush still remaining on his cheeks. Orion left too, to a separate checkout. Grand and Gold departed back to the heat of battle; still crushing customers underneath their feet.

_This was going to be good..._


	9. Spring Tea Festival- Part 3

**Spring Tea Festival Part 3 for keronaxd**

Orion whistled as he skipped to the Festival. "I can't wait to see Artemis!" he said to himself. He was fully dressed from head to toe. Black tuxedo and slacks. With shiny black shoes, he strode down the sidewalk to meet with the other guys at the lamppost.

Regulus and Altair wasn't far behind in their penguin suits, also.

"Darn this spring heat," Altair growled, pulling at his collar. Regulus smirked next to him. He was wearing a short-sleeved black shirt complete with a tie and navy blue slacks. He may not be the best dressed, but at least he was ready for the heat.

Unfortunately, Zoniha caught them around the corner and spotted Regulus' loosely dressed attire. "REGGIE! _YOU COULDN'T FIND ANY BETTER CLOTHES_!" she wailed, flailing her arms. Regulus sweat-dropped. "The things I do for you..." he muttered, joining her side.  
On his left side, Altair snickered.

The bachelors of the pad: Flame Bomber, Sirius, Grand Bomber, and Gold Bomber exited the house to find Thunder Bomber impatiently pacing the sidewalk. Flame casually poked his brother, bringing him out of his trance. "Yo, where's the problem at?"

"Well," Thunder began, "she said she would meet up with me here. But she isn't here..."

Flame laid a hand on his shoulder. "Relax," he rolled his eyes, "she's probably waiting for you. Let's get a move on. I want to try my hand at the competition they're holding."

Grand and Gold were silent, the grocery battles leaving them speechless and preserving their voices for later.

Thunder sighed as they set out for the Festival.

"Na na naaa!" Orion sang upon reaching the Festival. Clutching a corsage. The first thing would do with Artemis once she reached there was to-

_"Dulce mama!"_

Artemis arrived in a red, sequined dress with brown flats. Her hair was down, making her look completely different from her normal appearance. Orion jaw-dropped in wonder. She walked up to him and smiled. "What's that you got in your hand?"

Orion rapidly blinked. "O-oh, this is for you..." She held her hand out to him, allowing him to place the bracelet on her wrist. After fidgeting it with a few seconds, he was able to get it on. He was relieved that he didn't draw any fluids.

To their surprise, everyone else was there with their partners. Akibon was chasing Kurobon all over the field, trying to place a corset of her own on his wrist. "Leave me alone!" Kurobon yelled.

Thunder Bomber arrived to see Mermaid Bomber sitting and drinking tea with Zoniha, Regulus, Sirius, and Altair. Mermaid stood and greeted him by planting one on his cheek. His eyes' pupils shrank to an incredible size as he jumped 3 feet into the air.

Mermaid laughed, "Are you all right?"

"A-a-a-a..." Thunder Bomber handed the presents to Mermaid before collapsing. The legendary Thunder Bomber was able to withstand storms, hurricanes, and disasters. But he was never exposed to the dangers of affections.

_Music: Septette for the Dead Queen_

A slow song began, causing the couples to drop their foods and dance in the middle of the field. Everyone envied the skills that Shirobon and Pretty Bomber had. They swung, skipped, and twirled like samba dancers from Carnaval. It was their other special skill besides throwing bombs.

Orion and Artemis shyly got up, wanting to try this new sport out. After stumbling this way and that way for a while, they got tired of it and just swayed back and forth instead.

"This isn't so bad," Orion whispered to himself. It was unclear of what Artemis was wanting to say, so he began to speak aloud over the music.

"It's a great day," he said.

"Yeah. It is."

"So, how was your day?"

"...Pretty good. Yours?"

"Swell."

"That's nice."

The swaying continued for so until he remembered to give his gifts to her. All of the other participants were still shaking to the beat.

He gave her the bouquet of roses that he softly laid against the oak tree. "These are for you."

"Aww, you're so sweet," she gushed. "Thank you!"

*smooch*

The whole world came to a stop. Time slowed to a stop. The strawberry lip gloss left a mark on his cheek, making her sweet scent flow around him. "T-thank you..." he said.

_I will never forget this moment... _he said before passing out.

He fainted, clutching his heart. Artemis just laid beside him, staring up at the sky. She just waited for him to wake up while savoring the sweet moment as well. _I can't believe I actually did that... _she thought.

"Yeah, that's my man!" Regulus called out to him, catching the sight of Orion fainting.

"Hmph, I wish my man would do that for me," Zoniha said, tightening her grip on his neck.

"What do you mean? Usually you're snitching on about how too playful I am," he teased.

"Just keep dancing..."

From her tsundere exterior, Regulus knew that a vunerable and adorable kitten was beginning to surface. He decided to put up with it and await his reward.

Flame Bomber watched from his spot, away from the crowd. He was happy for them, but he most happiest for himself. At last, he had peace and quiet to himself. For another 2 hours.

Lazily spreading his limbs out, he dozed off to sleep.

Ah, Spring Fever gets to everyone... Even the mightest of them all...

THE END

* * *

_**Author's note (10/2/2013)**__: Well, it's about time I concluded this chapter. It felt kind of a bit rushed... _

_Dancing to "Septette for the Dead Queen?" Honestly, it sounds like an interesting music to dance to. = 3 = But that's just my opinion._

_And there's my proof of my Bomberman Pairings. No problems here!S_


End file.
